Timing
by azebra117
Summary: A few times Sherlock and John have referenced a former conversation where they've talked about things like 'timing' and 'not good' this is that conversation. One-shot


**Saw this post on Tumblr and decided that the talk between Sherlock and John and 'timing' would make a good one-shot. Go here for post ivyblossom. tumblr post/ 17953784772 /sherlockspeare -sherlock- john-is- the -most**

**All credit for the idea goes to Tumblr users ivyblossom and sherlockspear, I just decided to make a one-shot out of it**

"Of course! That would explain-"

"Sherlock!" John cut off the consulting detective during one of his rants, "maybe not now," John chided,

"What?" Sherlock looked at John with confusion on his face, something that barely ever showed there.

"Sorry about that Miss Smith, we'll continue to work on your case, thank you for your time," John smiled at the woman standing in front of them before turning on his heel and grabbing Sherlock's arm and leading him out.

"What was that about?" Sherlock asked as John called for a cab.

"You really don't understand emotions, do you?" John looked at Sherlock in an amused wonder as he climbed into the cab.

"Well… not like you do," Sherlock admitted.

"Then take it from me, you can't just go off on a rant about someone's dead son in front of them, it's a bit impolite and hurts their feelings," John told him.

"Feelings, what a waste," Sherlock laughed quietly.

"No, they are not a waste! You need feelings to live, to survive, I still don't understand how you manage," John rubbed his forehead wearily.

"I manage perfectly fine," Sherlock replied,

"No, you manage because I can reign you in when it's needed, but sometimes you're just too far gone in your 'mind palace' to even understand what I'm saying," John retorted.

"Then explain it to me," Sherlock turned to look at John, "explain to me how feelings are important and why I should care about them,"

"Blimey, how do you explain something to the smartest person in the world…" John trailed off,

"Evidently I'm not the smartest person in the world if I don't understand feelings." Sherlock continued to stare at John.

"Ok, so when people lose someone they love, or someone they were really close to- a fiancée, girlfriend, boyfriend, best friend, son, daughter, parent, grandparent, cousin, sibling, friend-they tend not to like it when you go mouthing off about them."

"I wasn't-" Sherlock started indignantly as they climbed out of the cab and walked into 221B Baker Street.

"Not this time, but sometimes you just go on and on about someone like no one else in the room cares about that person anymore, even if they're dead. They still have living people who care about them, and you just don't understand that," John slumped onto the sofa upstairs.

"So you're saying that once a person is dead, people in the room, the clients, would feel offended if I started going on and on about them?" Sherlock asked, still standing.

"Yes, because there is a time and a place for everything and usually you don't see it. Also if someone is in a really tough spot it doesn't help if you're shouting off all these revelations you're getting at the speed of light. You go from one topic to the next to the next and it gets very confusing for those of us with normal minds when we can't follow what you're saying. Then you get all mad because you have reached a sudden idea and none of us understand how you got there and you have to explain yourself all over again. It's not very good Sherlock, you need to work on your timing." John leaned back but Sherlock stayed standing,

"So I need to reign in my mind, or…?" Sherlock trailed off,

"Or we loose a bunch of clients and make a lot more people mad at you. Which you don't need because we already have Moriarty for that." Sherlock nodded slowly.

"Next time I'm… going too far, can you warn me?" Sherlock asked uncertainly,

"I'll try but it usually doesn't work that well, like what happened earlier," John replied.

"Key phrase." Sherlock said and John looked up,

"Sorry, what?" John asked,

"With some people you have a key phrase that you use, to bring them back to reality. So if we could figure out a key phrase that you could say and I would understand it without you having to go through a long rant every time." Sherlock explained slowly.

"Ok, so what do you want to use?" John asked, but Sherlock had his eyes closed and was whispering something too quietly for John to hear.

"Timing. Not good." Sherlock's eyes snapped open, "when you say timing I'll know that it's not the right time to go on a rant, and I'll make sure that when you say it it'll bring me out of my rant. And when you say not good I'll know that I've gone to far and should back off before I really hurt someone's feelings." Sherlock looked at John, "ok?"

"Ok." John replied before sighing. There is only one person in the world you have to explain feelings to.


End file.
